Priebus still mum on how Florida delegates will be treated at RNC

TAMPA -- Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus was in town today to crown the "takeover" of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, during which for the next six weeks about $20 million will be spent to set the stage for Mitt Romney's coronation as the GOP nominee.

After a news conference announcing the construction schedule, Priebus was surrounded by a gaggle of reporters who pressed him on just how exactly Florida delegates will be treated in Tampa during the RNC Convention on Aug. 27-30.

For violating the officially sanctioned primary calendar, Florida Republicans are supposed to get stiffed with bad seats and limited guest passes. State party leaders are trying to appeal to Romney officials, but it will be the National Committee that will ultimately decide.

Priebus said that he asked for a map of the convention floor to see where the delegates will be seated, but was told it wasn't completed yet. Don't expect too much, he suggested.

"Florida, like all the states that violated the calender, there's nothing that can be done," Priebus said.

But he did offer a gleam of hope.

"Everyone in Florida who is coming to the convention will be treated like pure gold," he said. "And they're going to have the time of their life."

Asked if there was a chance that all of the 98 delegates would be allowed on the floor, even if just 50 are allowed to vote, Priebus responded with a maybe.

"I don't know the answer to that now," he said. "But it will have to depend on the space on the floor. And for some people, the first few rows are even better than being on the floor. Those decisions haven't been made."

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